1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novelty item for cooperating with a cap of a bottle, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a novelty item for cooperating with a cap of a bottle subsequent to cooperation of the cap with a bottle opener but prior to cooperation of the cap with a cap catcher.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for bottle openers starts with the bottle cap. Today, bottle openers can be found in a variety of styles and configurations.
Cork and wood bottle stoppers are known to be the oldest bottle caps. Even today most wine bottles use cork to seal the bottles. By the middle of the 19th Century the use of glass bottles and jars was on the rise and so was the development of bottle closures. In 1856, a screw cap was invented with a cork disc attached to seal glass jars. From 1856 to around 1915, most beer bottles used a wire attached mechanical cap. This style of cap is still being used with some modifications.
The origins of the bottle cap as we know it started in 1890 with William Painter. Painter came up with a one-time use cap with a cork lining he called crown cork since it resembled the British Queen's crown. This type of bottle cap is still in wide use today by the beer industry.
The invention in the early 1900s of mass production of glass bottles led to an increase in the use of crown caps. In addition, further growth came from other containers being converted to bottles in order to make use of the crown cap. Within 20 years nearly all soft drink and beer bottles were sporting crown caps.
During the 1960s, the advent of less expensive synthetic materials and sparse cork resources lead to the replacement of the cork lining in crown caps with plastic. In addition, some of the crown caps have been replaced with twist-offs that don't require a separate opener.
Today aluminum and plastic pilfer proof (PP) caps have replaced most of the crown caps on glass and plastic beverage containers. Most beer bottles still use either one-time use or twist-off crown style caps.
The use of bottle opening devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, bottle opening devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removing caps from bottles are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
It would be entertaining to have a novelty item for cooperating with a cap of a bottle subsequent to cooperation of the cap with a bottle opener but prior to cooperation of the cap with a cap catcher.
Numerous innovations for bottle/light related devices have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure and/or operation and/or purpose from the present invention in that they do not provide a novelty item for cooperating with a cap of a bottle subsequent to cooperation of the cap with a bottle opener but prior to cooperation of the cap with a cap catcher.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,216 to Goldfarb teaches a portable lighting device comprising a water bottle formed of a light transmitting material and a lamp case fitted to the open end of the water bottle. A light bulb is positioned within the lamp case and a light transmitting lens is positioned between the light bulb and the interior of the water bottle whereby light emitted from the light bulb is transmitted through the lens to the interior of the water bottle and is diffused through the wall of the water bottle. A method for illuminating a space is provided in which water is introduced into a bottle so that the bottle is at least partially filled and the bottle is sealingly and releasably attached to a source of light.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,606 to Fernandez et al. teaches a hand held toy to hold translucent Lollypops or other similar sucker candies producing illumination from the interior of the candy in such a way that tiny light spots blink varying in color and position to increase children amusement while using the holder with the candy. It has a battery powered light emitting source controlled by a sensible pushbutton switch, and is securely and hermetically assembled and made of smooth surface finishing rounded shaped and resistant parts being completely washable to guarantee its hygienic and safe use by little children. It can be provided with a protecting cover to keep the candy from dust, insects, and microbes. It can be provided with small transparent or colored lenses above the light emitting source, so that small colored light beams are projected upwards toward the lower surface of the translucent colored sucker candy attached to the holder, producing an attractive glowing effect and improving the user's amusement. Alternatively, it can be transformed into a blinking varying color spot lighted pacifier attaching to it a pacifier cap. It also can be used as a baby entertaining toy hanging it in any safe place of the cradle. The toy can be designed in different shapes and colors, so can the candies, which can have a wide variety of flavors, colors, and shapes, such as balls, discs, stars, polygons, clown heads, flowers, etc. In addition, as many other similar toys, it can be provided with sound, rotation, and vibration motions, etc., by adding the appropriate devices or mechanisms. This type of toy can be useful to administer to little children certain medicines which can be candy like produced. In one of its possible embodiments, it could also be used as a little pocket flashlight. The whole set can be kept in a especially decorated plastic case.
STILL ANOTHER FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,870 to Ramirez teaches a nursing baby bottle attachment with (an) entertainment device(s) associated therewith, especially the options of both, or either, chosen jingles of music and randomly flashing lights. Such may be just the music, or the paired music and lights with a micro-switch to turn off the lights alone.
YET ANOTHER FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,637 to Murrietta teaches a combination baby bottle and amusement device. The baby bottle has a hollow cylindrical body and a bladder that holds the feeding liquid. The device is adapted to frictionally fit into an open end of the cylinder opposite a feeding nipple. The device projects light beams into the liquid filled bladder and also produces a sound show. The device projects a single or multiple light beams that change color, shape, intensity, and blink synchronously with time. The light and sound show entertain the baby while it is feeding and may also pacify and arouse the baby.
STILL YET ANOTHER FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,247 to Carson teaches a disposable liquid beverage container comprising a first compartment for sealably containing a beverage and a second compartment adjacent the first compartment. A barrier having a translucent portion separates the first and second compartments. A light source and an energy source electrically connected to the light source are disposed in the second compartment. A switch activates the light source, such that the light source shines through the translucent portion of the barrier and illuminates the beverage disposed in the first compartment of the container. A holographic image embedded in a film attached to an outside of the container is created within the first compartment when the light source is illuminated. Methods are also provided.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for bottle/light related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.